India’s dominance continued on Day 3 of the third Test against Bangladesh as they declared their innings at 287, setting a formidable target of 515 for the visitors. The decision to declare was made by skipper Rohit Sharma, who displayed confidence in his team’s ability to defend the total despite the remaining two days of the Test.
The declaration came after centuries from Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill, who anchored India’s innings with scores of 119 and 110, respectively. KL Rahul, who was batting on 22 at the time of the declaration, expressed disappointment at not getting more time at the crease, but Pant clarified that Rohit had communicated his plan to declare an hour in advance.
“When we came for lunch, there was a discussion going on about the innings declaration. Rohit bhai told us, ‘We will bat for 1 more hour, whoever wants to score, can do so,'” Pant explained. “So, I returned with the mindset to score runs quickly.”
Rohit’s decision to declare was not influenced by the personnel in the middle, as he had indicated his intention to declare within a specific time frame. After the match, Rohit paid tribute to Pant, who made a remarkable comeback to the Indian Test team after a long absence.
“He’s been through some really tough times. The way he has managed himself through those tough times was superb to watch,” Rohit said. “He came back in the IPL, followed by a very successful World Cup, and this is the format he loves the most.”
Rohit also praised Pant’s determination to prepare for the Test match by playing in the Duleep Trophy. “Credit to him as well, he went on to play Duleep Trophy and got ready for this Test match and had an impact straightaway in the game,” he added.
With India’s bowlers in top form, Bangladesh faces an uphill task to save the Test. The hosts will need to bat with resilience and determination to avoid a heavy defeat.
